


Medic!

by AnExhaustedArmadillo



Category: Band of Brothers
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Angst, Canon Setting, Canon-Typical Violence, Cold, Frustration, Huddling For Warmth, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Misunderstandings, POV Babe Heffron, Pining, War
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-10
Updated: 2019-06-10
Packaged: 2020-04-08 02:50:17
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,875
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19098244
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnExhaustedArmadillo/pseuds/AnExhaustedArmadillo
Summary: Babe's been waiting to meet his soulmate for years, so when Eugene Roe says his Words, he's ecstatic. But, Gene acts like nothing's different, leading Babe to believe he's Unpaired, someone who has a soulmate who isn't theirs. Babe thinks that maybe just being near his soulmate will be enough, but as the two grow closer, he finds it harder and harder to keep his feelings secret.





	Medic!

**Author's Note:**

> Nothing but utmost respect is meant for the real men of Easy Company, this is not meant to offend. This is based off of very fictionalized interpretations of the characters and is in no way meant to represent the actual men or their interests.

Babe had been looking forward to meeting his soulmate ever since he was four years old and learned to read the words written on his forearm. _Heffron, right? Let me get a look at that wrist._ The handwriting on Babe’s arm was neat and small, nothing like Babe’s own scrawling handwriting. And the sentiment behind the words- it sounded concerned, if Babe had to guess. Whoever Babe’s soulmate was, they were a caring person.

Babe wondered ceaselessly what was going to happen to his wrist that would make it worth looking at. Maybe he was going to hurt it so bad it’d fall off. But, then again, his words didn’t actually say that his wrist was hurt. Maybe he had a tattoo on his wrist that his soulmate wanted to see. Babe thought about getting a tattoo just for that reason, but eventually decided against it. Or really, his mom decided against it. When Babe got even older, he started worrying about whether or not he even had a soulmate. He couldn’t help but worry that he was an Unpaired, like his mom. Babe’s mom was his dad’s soulmate, but he wasn’t hers. His dad’s soulmate had died, however, so he settled for Babe’s mom. Babe supposed maybe that wasn’t so bad. A little sad, perhaps, but at least his mom got to live with her soulmate. And at least Babe had a soulmate. There was a girl Babe had gone to high school with who had no words. She was Alone. A small percentage of the population was actually Alone, but Babe counted himself lucky that he wasn’t one of them.

Babe got a little older and he still looked forward to meeting his soulmate, despite the potential of being Unpaired. Then, Pearl Harbor happened. The war happened. And suddenly, Babe found himself caring a little less about who his soulmate was, and a little more about staying alive.

***

**Bastogne: Day Two**

War was hell. Babe had heard that all his life, whispered under the breaths of veterans from wars fought decades ago, but he had never truly understood it. Not until he’d seen it.

They were stationed in Bastogne when an explosion left one of the men Babe had trained with clutching at his leg, yelling for his ma. The soldier's name was James Howell, which was really all Babe knew about the other soldier. Babe’s jaw dropped when he saw James go down, howling in pain. It took him a second to gather his thoughts, remember his training, and drag James to the nearest foxhole, screaming for a medic.

Babe did his best to stem the blood trickling from James’ wound, trying to soothe him despite his own outrageous nerves.

“You’re gonna be alright, Jimmy, you hear,” Babe failed to hide the fear in his voice. “Medic!” He screamed again, praying for someone to answer his call. They were still under fire, though, taking heavy artillery. If Babe was a medic, he wouldn’t dare go out in this, no matter how many times he heard the call.

“Medic!” He yelled one more time, hands slick with James’ blood, before another soldier came crashing into the foxhole. Without a word, the soldier- no, medic, Babe self corrected, seeing the Red Cross on his arm- began pulling bandages and sulfa out of his bag. Babe was speechless, hands slowly leaving James’ leg to let the medic work.

“You gon’ be alright. The bullet went clean through and it didn’t hit nothing important. You keep it elevated, don’t touch the bandages, and check in with whoever you can when this is all over. We’re getting hit too heavy for me to call a jeep or risk takin’ you out of here, so you’re just gonna have to wait. Keep pressure on,” The medic said, voice low and calm, much different than Babe’s frantic warbling. Babe opened his mouth to say something, not sure of what, when another cry of “Medic!” rang out a dozen yards away, silencing Babe and prompting the medic to launch himself out of their foxhole with the same force he’d come in with.

Babe let out a sigh of relief, sinking next to James, who was looking pale as all Hell. “See,” Babe said, reaching to help keep pressure on James’ calf, “I told you you were gonna be fine.”

***

**Bastogne: Day Three**

Babe was helping Bill to lift some heavy tree branches for a foxhole cover when one of the larger branches slipped from his grip, hitting Bill right in the head, and leaving Babe’s wrist immediately sore. Bill hissed, holding his head in his hands, stumbling backwards.

“Goddamnit Babe,” Bill snapped, speaking over Babe’s stammered apologies. “Doc! Doc, can you come over here?”

The same medic that had treated James’ leg came hustling over to where they were.

“Shit, Guarnere. What’d you do?” The Doc asked, guiding Bill to sit down so he could get a better look at the head wound. Babe followed them awkwardly, unsure of what to do, wrist clenched in his hand.

“This idiot here dropped a tree on my goddamn head.”

“I really am sorry, Bill, I swe-“

“Not another word out of you.” Bill said, glaring at him. Babe could tell he wasn’t really all that mad about it, though. If Bill was really mad about it Babe wouldn’t be in one piece for much longer. Babe thought better of saying anything though, watching as the Doc inspected Bill’s head and then began pulling out some bandages. Shit, Babe hadn’t thought it was that bad.

“Alright, well, you’re lucky he didn’t get ya too bad. I’m wrapping it up now. Normally, I’d change ‘em, but I don’t have the bandages to spare, so do your best to keep it clean. I doubt he hit you hard enough to concuss you, but I’m gonna check anyway so just follow the light with your eyes. Your eyes, Guarnere, not your damn head,” The Doc said, holding up a lighter in front of Bill’s face, dragging it slowly side to side. “Yeah, you look alright. Lemme know if you start feeling off, though.”

“Shit, Doc. I don’t know, I think I might need to lie down. All those foxholes left to dig are really making my head ache.”

“Yeah, yeah, go on and take a rest. Anyone asks, Doctor’s orders.”

“Thanks, Doc. Babe, you better get to work on moving those branches,.” Bill said before heading off to what Babe assumed was a nap. Babe laughed in relief and then turned to go back to his job, before a low voice stopped him.

“Heffron, right? Let me get a look at that wrist.” The Doc said, and Babe froze. His mouth lay gaping for a moment, before he gathered himself. This was it. This was his soulmate, right in front of him. Babe sucked in a breath. His words had to be good.

“Is that all you wanna look at, Doc?” Babe said, smiling nervously, in a failed attempt to be flirtatious. God, he was so glad those were the words somewhere on his soulmates body. Babe was so glad he’d found him. He’d finally found his soulmate. War was Hell, but maybe it would be worth it, if he had his soulmate there with him. But the Doc looked entirely unfazed, not at all matching Babe’s internal joy.

“Heffron, let me see your goddamn wrist.” But Babe could hear a smile in his voice. He pushed his wrist in the Doc’s direction, trying to hide his dismay. The Doc didn’t notice though, gingerly taking Babe’s wrist in his hands and examining it carefully. He tutted under his breath.

“Well, it’ll be sore for a couple of days. Make sure you don’t sleep on it, and don’t overuse it. If you can, avoid putting weight on it,” The Doc said, letting go of Babe’s wrist. Babe was staring at him, intently, but the other man didn’t return his stare. Babe couldn’t believe it. The Doc had said his words, Babe was sure of it, but when Babe had responded… Was it possible that Babe wasn’t the Doc’s soulmate. No. There was no way. Babe couldn’t be Unpaired. He couldn’t, maybe he just had to be more forward.

“So...?” Babe started. The Doc rolled his eyes.

“So…?” The Doc repeated, mouth hardening a little, and Babe felt his heart sink.

“N-nothing. Sorry.” He hung his head, and when he looked up, his soulmate was gone.

***

Babe found out later from Bill that the Doc’s name was actually Eugene Roe. Eugene Roe. Babe’s soulmate. The person who completed Babe more than anybody else. But Babe was not his soulmate. The interaction they’d had earlier proved that. Babe had heard all sorts of stories growing up. How when someone said the Words, everything changed and it was the happiest moment of a person’s life. Babe’s father always said that the greatest day of his life had been meeting his soulmate. His father made sure to say it only when Babe’s mother was out of the room, but Babe was pretty sure she knew anyway. That wasn’t what happened with Gene. Gene had said Babe’s words, but when Babe said what were supposed to be Gene’s own words, nothing had happened. He hadn’t even blinked. He wasn’t Babe’s soulmate.

Babe was Unpaired. Shit. He’d always had an inkling in the back of his mind that he might be. These things weren’t proven to be genetic, but if they were then Babe’s family history was a pretty condemning factor. Having something to blame it on didn’t make it any easier, however.

Babe had had such dreams when he was younger. He’d dreamed of having someone that was all his, someone perfect for him. Someone to hold him and love him and live with him until they both grew old and died. And now all of that was gone. And it wasn’t even that Babe was Alone. That might’ve been better. But Babe had someone, someone who was perfect for him. Someone that he was just not right for.

Babe had no idea what to do. Telling the Doc was off the table. Babe wanted to keep this as quiet as possible. He thought about his mom and dad. His mom had lived her entire life with a man who didn’t truly love her, not the way she loved him. But she was happy, right? Sure, sometimes Babe could tell it drove her crazy, that feeling of never being enough, but Babe also knew she would’ve endured almost anything just to be with his dad. Maybe it was worth it. Maybe, maybe Babe could be near Gene and that would just be enough.

Babe decided that night, cheeks lightly stained with tears. He wouldn’t tell Gene that he was his Unpaired soulmate, but he’d get as close to him as possible. Another part of Babe whispered that he shouldn’t even try, that it would be better to avoid the medic instead. Babe tried to push that part of himself down and sleep.

***

**Bastogne: Day Four**

Babe was sitting in his foxhole, freezing his ass off, when Gene walked up to him the next day. Babe’s mind raced. Maybe Gene would bring up what had happened the day before, how he’d realized they were soulmates. Maybe he’d come to tell Babe that he loved him already and he was excited to get to know him.

“Heffron,” Gene said, and Babe felt his heart flutter. “Do you have any morphine leftover from Holland?” Of course. Gene was only talking to him to ask about his goddamn morphine. Babe tried not to let his displeasure show in his tone.

“Nah. Used it already.”

“Well do you have any spare bandages by chance?”

“No, Gene, I don't,” He responded, a little shorter. He watched Gene’s back straighten and his mouth thin. “Sorry.” Babe tacked on as an afterthought, a twinge of guilt hitting him for snapping at what was technically his soulmate. Gene didn’t say anything, just stared at him for a second before turning to ask the soldiers in the next foxhole over if they had any spare supplies. Babe sighed to himself. So far things with his soulmate were not going as planned.

***

“You know who your soulmate is?” John Julian asked him, quietly, in the wee hours of the night, huddled in their muddy foxhole.

“Yeah,” Babe said. He wouldn’t tell Julian who it was, wouldn't tell anyone who it was, but the fact that he had one didn’t have to be a secret.

“Lucky,” Julian said, though Babe knew he was anything but. “I haven’t met mine yet. You wanna know my Words?” Babe looked at him. Telling someone about your Words wasn’t exactly taboo, but it was personal.

“Sure.” Babe said. Julian smiled.

“It’s ‘Wow, I’m glad it’s you.’ Written in the loopiest little handwriting you’ve ever seen,” Julian said, already lovesick for a girl he hadn’t met.

“Bet you’ll wind up sayin' something stupid to her.” Babe joked, and Julian punched his arm.

“Yeah, and what’d you say to yours? ‘Durr, I’m Babe.’ Dumbass.”

“Hey, I’ll have you know I said something incredibly clever to my soulmate.”

“Uh-huh, sure.” Julian said. They sat in silence for a minute, Julian seeming to be thinking about something, his face growing somber, before he spoke.

“Babe, what if I don’t get to meet her?”

“You’ll meet her. Words are like destiny. There ain’t no fucking with destiny.”

“But what if I don’t?”

“You will.”

“But what if?” Babe was feeling a little annoyed.He’d give anything to be where Julian was. Sure, Julian was worrying about meeting his soulmate, but at least he still had hope.

“Then, shit, Julian, you’ll die a virgin I guess.”

“That’s not funny.” Julian said, face going red.

“Oh, Julian. You’re not really a virgin are you?” Babe laughed, as Julian’s face got even redder.

“Shut up, Babe!” Julian said and Babe really began to guffaw.

***

**Bastogne: Day Five**

Babe was sitting on a frozen log next to Bill who had been complaining loudly about whatever was wrong with him when Gene had just happened to walk by.

“Hey, Doc.” Bill said, not needing to leave his spot because Gene immediately started walking towards them.

“Yeah?”

“I gotta talk to you.”

“What’s wrong?” Gene asked. Bill sucked in a breath.

“When I piss, it hurts like Hell.” Bill said straight faced, and Babe couldn’t help but laugh, stopping when he saw the glare on Gene’s face.

“Something like that is something internal, Sergeant. It’s germs or bacteria, probably. I don’t got nothing that can fix that. I’m sorry.”

“Wait, shit Doc, you serious?”

“I wish I wasn’t. Resources are stretched thin. I’m going around now asking about morphine, and I’ll ask if anyone’s got any penicillin, but don’t get your hopes up.”

“That’s just my fucking luck.”

“Look, you let me know if it gets much worse. You start getting feverish, delirious, anything like that and you come get me. Heffron, you watch him and if he gets like that you come get me.” Babe nodded dumbly, oddly touched that Gene had spoken to him. Even if he had called him by his last name.

“Nah, Doc, I’ll be fine. I ain’t going off the line for any bullshit like that.” Bill said it with such conviction that Babe knew there was no arguing. Apparently Gene knew that too because he just stared at him for a second, then nodded, walking off to the next foxhole.

***

**Bastogne: Day Six**

“Toye, you got a soulmate?” Bill asked as they all sat around eating dinner out of tin cups.

“Hell yeah I do. You know her, too.”

“Oh, do I?”

“Yeah. It’s ole Mama Guarnere,” Toye said seriously. The boys all broke out into laughter at that. “I do though. I met her a couple months before boot camp.” And at that the boys all “oooh”ed like a group of middle schoolers. Bill told all of them (loudly) about his soulmate, Fran, and how perfect she was. At that, Harry Welsh joined in to regale them about Kitty Grogan, who must’ve been an angel on Earth for all that she was. Luz tried to convince them all that, though he hadn’t met her yet, his soulmate was Lana Turner. They all laughed at that.

“What about you, Babe? You met your soulmate yet?” Bill asked. Babe forced a smile.

“Nah, not yet. I’ll meet her after the war.”

“How do you know?”

“My Words.” Babe said mysteriously.

“What do they say?”

“They say ‘You’re Babe Heffron? As in the man who killed Hitler?’ So we all know how the war ends.” Babe said. The men all laughed at his joke so much they forgot to ask what his words really said.

When Gene came around a few minutes later, they wasted no time in asking who his soulmate was.  
“What about you, Doc, who’s your soulmate?” Buck Compton asked, and suddenly all eyes were on Gene, except for Babe, who tried his hardest to look at the ground and not turn red.

“Don’t know.” Doc said simply.

“But you’ve got one?”

“I’ve got Words, yeah.”

“What do they say?”

“They say ‘Here, Doc, I’ve got some scissors and morphine for you, as well as a company of soldiers who don’t get shot in the ass whenever you’re not looking.’” Gene said shortly and it took a moment for the soldiers to register that the Doc had actually made a joke. Soon as it registered, though, they were all rolling on the ground hollering so loud the Germans could probably hear them. Babe managed to force a smile on his face. But Gene’s joke broke Babe's heart a little bit because they all but confirmed that Babe wasn’t Gene’s soulmate.

“Whoever says that to you is definitely your soulmate, Gene.” Bill said, laughter finally dying down. Gene gave them all a small smile before moving away, going back to the solitude that he clearly felt so comfortable in.

*** 

“Babe, why did you say you hadn’t met your soulmate?” Julian asked when they were back in their foxhole.

“None of your business.”

“Are you guys just keeping it a secret?”

“It’s none of your goddamn business.”

“C’mon, just tell me. Is it a famous person? So you can’t tell anyone, is that it?”

“It’s not a famous person, Julian! Just stop asking, Jesus.”

“You know you can tell me if you haven’t actually met them, Babe. I won’t judge you.”

“Julian. What did I fucking tell you? Stop. Asking. Questions. Jesus, just don’t talk to me.” Babe huffed, furious. He could tell that he’d hurt Julian. The way his shoulders hunched up to his ears and his elbows tucked into his waist. Babe sighed. If he was going to tell anyone, it might as well be Julian.

“I’ve met my soulmate, Julian. I’m... I’m Unpaired.” Babe whispered, tucking his chin to his chest. Julian turned to face him.

“Shit. Shit, Babe. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry, I had no idea.”

“S’alright,” Babe mumbled. “At least I’ve met them. At least I know ‘em.”

“Doesn’t that make it worse? Sorry, that was a stupid question. You don’t have to answer, I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay, Julian. It was nice, before, because I didn’t know I was Unpaired, I was hopeful. But being Unpaired is better than being Alone. It’s gotta be.”

“Yeah.” Julian agreed quietly, letting the conversation drift off into silence.

***

**Bastogne: Day Eight**

Babe couldn’t seem to kick this cough no matter what he did. He just kept hacking and gasping for air. He knew it was the weather. Bastogne was colder than any of the Philadelphia winters that Babe was used to. That, unfortunately, meant that there was nothing Babe could do to get rid of the cough, it was gonna be there as long as they were at Bastogne.

“Heffron, you alright?” Babe heard Gene say, coming up to his left.

“‘M fine.” Babe said between coughs.

“That’s a nasty cough you got going there.”

“No shit.” Babe said, then kicked himself mentally. Every time he opened his mouth around Gene, he was rude. He’d never get close to Gene if he kept acting like that, but he couldn’t seem to make himself stop. Gene didn’t seem to care, which actually annoyed Babe more.

“You got anything else going on? A fever, chills, anything like that?”

“No, just the cough.” Babe said truthfully. The cough did seem to be subsiding for the moment and it was a little easier to talk.

“Okay, that’s good. Look, drink a lot of water, get as much rest as you can, and try to stay warm.” Gene said. Babe knew he was just trying to help, Babe knew Gene was just telling him what he’d been trained to say. But Babe was sick, and he was sad, and he was pissed as Hell that he was Unpaired and that his soulmate was standing in front of him and couldn’t even call him by his own goddamn name. Babe felt something snap inside of him and he responded in a way he knew he shouldn’t.

“Oh, really? You want me to stay warm, Eugene? How the Hell do you suggest I do that? Has it registered with you, Doc, where exactly we are right now? There is no warm, there is no rest, there is no fucking peace! You get that, Gene?” Babe all but spat at him. Gene stared at him for a minute, hard, before shaking his head and turning to walk off. Babe considered just dropping it, just letting it go, but, ever since he met Gene, Babe had only ever been dismissed by him, and he was fucking sick of it. “Is that it, Gene? You’re just gonna walk away from me?” Babe said, taking a few steps towards Gene before he turned sharply towards him.

“What do you want from me, Heffron? I’m trying my goddamn hardest. Believe me, I know what kind of shit we’ve got goin’ on here.” Gene hissed at him. “I’m all but out of morphine, I’m begging for bandages, every goddamn time I hear them call for me, I don’t know if I’m gonna have the what I need to save ‘em. I’m doing what I can. I’m sorry if that’s not enough.” Gene’s voice softened and Babe was horrified to see tears of anger welling at the corners of his eyes. Babe got the feeling Gene was upset about more than their conversation. He knew it was hard in Bastogne, especially for someone whose job was to save them. He took a small step towards Gene, who wrapped his arms around his middle like he was cold. He no longer looked like he was about to cry, he just looked tired.

“I’m sorry, Gene,” Babe said softly. “That’s not what I meant.” He took a hesitant step towards Gene, quietly wanting to wrap his arms around him, but Gene turned away.

“It’s alright, Heffron, just get some sleep.” Gene said, turning away and shuffling off into the snow, leaving Babe feeling as if he’d kicked a puppy.

***

Babe felt horrible for snapping at Gene like he had. Julian, however, couldn’t seem to pick up on his restlessness, because he wouldn’t leave him alone.

“How do you know you’re Unpaired?” Julian asked, and Babe sighed.

“Because they said my words to me, and when I spoke back, they didn’t react.”

“They?” Julian pressed. Babe rolled his eyes.

“He,” Babe clarified.

“Oh, I knew it,” Julian said, then stopped when Babe shot him a glare. “Look, all I mean is that you don’t know what this guy’s words actually are. Maybe you said them and he didn’t think he’d said yours so now he’s all alone thinking he’s Unpaired. Or maybe he’s just really, really shy, and he’s waiting for you to say something.” Babe shook his head.

“No, I don’t think that’s it. This guy would say something, you know?”

“No, Babe I don’t. You won’t tell me who your soulmate is,” Julian’s face lit up as if a thought had just hit him. “Is it someone here, Babe?” Julian asked.

“No.” Babe said, feeling his face turn red.

“Oh, you’re such a liar! Who is it? C’mon, please?” Julian asked, practically bouncing with excitement. Babe’s face twisted in disgust at the suggestion.

“ I’m not tellin’ you who it is,” Babe said, though that did nothing to dissuade Julian from guessing.

“Is it Luz? Toye? Is it Captain Winters? What about Spina?”

“No, no, NO and _no_. I’m not telling you, Julian,” Babe said with an air of finality.

“Are you sure you don’t want me to know, Babe? I mean, what if you get shot in the ass or something? Don’t you want your soulmate to know you got hurt?”

“No,” Babe said. “And definitely not from you.” Babe pulled out a cigarette and lit it through shaking fingers. He offered one to Julian, who accepted. The mood was suddenly much heavier, each of them thinking about the likelihood of getting hurt. The two huffed in silence for a minute before Julian spoke again.

“If I knew who my soulmate was,” Julian spoke quietly. “I’d want you to tell them. I’d want you to tell her how I died. I’d want you to get my stuff and send it to her.” Julian paused a second, taking a long drag from his cigarette. “Babe, will you send my stuff back to my mom if I get hit?” Julian asked, displaying an amount of raw vulnerability that Babe had not seen since he’d been sent off to war.

“Yeah, Julian. I’ll get your stuff and send it to your mom. You do the same for me, yeah?” Babe promised and Julian nodded, wiping a tear away from his eye that Babe pretended not to see.

***

**Bastogne: Day Nine**

Babe went with Spina to third Battalion to get medical supplies in hopes that maybe it would soften Gene to him. It didn’t. When Gene saw Babe next, it was the same conversation Babe had had a dozen times before. Babe was coughing again, worried his lung really would crawl its way out of his throat, when Gene came up behind him.

“Heffron, you okay?” Babe rolled his eyes.

“Gene, what’s with the Heffron shit? You know my name. Use it,” Babe said shortly. A part of him was genuinely annoyed that Gene wouldn’t call him by the name every other soldier did. It made Babe feel like Gene didn’t want to know him. And a part of Babe was secretly hoping to hear his name come out of Gene’s mouth, warped by his slow Cajun drawl. It seemed that was not meant to be.

“It’s Edward, right?”

“Are you serious? Only the goddamn nuns call me Edward,” Babe said dismissively. That hurt in a different way. The fact that Gene felt so distant from him he was calling him "Edward".

“You have any morphine from Holland?” Gene pressed on.

“You already asked, remember? No.” Babe said, walking away to diffuse the situation. He wanted to connect with Gene more than anything, but it seemed all he could do was push him away. It seemed Gene didn’t want to get close to him at all.

***

**Bastogne: Day Ten**

When Julian died, Babe’s first instinct was to seek out Gene. He wanted his soulmate. He didn’t want to be alone. When Babe got to the medic’s foxhole only Spina was there. But Spina was perhaps one of the few people who had seen how much Gene had cared for Julian, and he was a warm body for Babe to lean against.

Spina held Babe as he cried, thinking about Julian holding his neck, unable to stop moving. If only he’d been able to stop moving. Babe tried, over and over again to reach him, but he hadn’t. If only Babe had tried harder. Babe sobbed into Spina’s shoulder, unable to articulate anything but whining mumbles.

He was still awake when Gene slipped into the foxhole hours later. Babe couldn’t bring himself to look at his soulmate. He thought being near Gene might make it easier, but instead it just made his heart ache. Gene was gently placing chocolate in Babe’s hands, trying to get him to eat. Despite himself, Babe found himself wanting to open up to his soulmate.

“I promised him if he got hit, I’d get his stuff and bring it to his mom,” Babe felt the tears welling up in his eyes. “Now the fucking Krauts’ll strip him.” Babe began to sob in earnest.

“Hey,” Gene said softly. “It’s okay.”

“It’s not,” Babe shook his head “It’s not okay.” Babe kept shaking his head, denying it every time Gene tried to whisper a soft reassurance. It wasn’t okay, no matter how much he wanted it to be.

"He didn't even meet his goddamn soulmate. Had words and everything and he never met her. She won't even know wh-what hap-happened," Babe said, devolving into stuttering breaths. He wanted to tell Gene then, more than he ever had, what they were, but he couldn't. Even when Gene wrapped around Babe's side, all he could do was cry softly and mourn the loss of his friend.

***

Babe woke up hours later, but kept his eyes closed. Gene and Spina were talking in hushed voices over him and he didn’t want to interrupt their conversation. Even though Gene wasn’t actually talking to him, Babe felt like he was finally getting to know him. Spina asked about Gene’s grandmother, a Cajun faith healer. Babe couldn’t help but think that that was just perfect. Perfect for who Gene was, what his role in the war was. A small part of him thought about meeting Gene’s grandmother, how he would if they were really soulmates. Spina asked about that, too.

“You haven’t met your soulmate?”

“No,” Gene confirmed quietly. “I don't think so. I don’t know what I’d… I wouldn’t know what to do.”

“Don’t you want to?” Spina asked, to which Gene did not respond. Babe found himself wishing he hadn’t woken up.

***

**Bastogne: Day ~~Eleven~~ Thirteen**

 

When Babe saw Gene next it was to give him, Guarnere, and Buck something extra to pull around themselves to stop freezing to death. Gene gave no indication that this was special treatment, but Babe felt touched from the gesture anyway.

***

There were no moments of peace at war. There were moments of quiet, but never moments of peace. Babe was reminded of that when Harry Welsh got hurt and the cry of “Medic” rang out through the forest. Gene was one of the best goddamn medics in the whole American military, Babe was sure, because he always managed to get to them no matter how heavy they were getting hit or how deep they were in the shit. But for some reason, Gene wasn’t coming.

Babe ran over to the small foxhole that Gene was curled up in. God, all Babe wanted to do was curl up in the foxhole with Gene, forget the war, forget the world. But they couldn’t do that, and Gene had to move.

Babe pulled and pulled at Gene, begging him to get up. He wasn't moving, wasn't registering what was happening. _Shit,_ Babe thought, _what the fuck's going on?_ Gene had never acted like this and Babe wasn't sure what to do. Harry was still hurt and still yelling and Gene had to _move_ and Babe didn't know how to make him go. Pulling, begging, yanking, panicking, Babe didn't know what else to do, and Winters was yelling now, too. Finally, finally, something clicked in Gene, he moved, cutting Babe’s hand in the process, but at least he was moving.

***

Gene slid into the foxhole with Babe, and he tried not to let his heart beat too sporadically.

“Everything okay? Babe?” Gene asked, like he did every time he talked to any of them. _No, nothing’s alright,_ Babe thought to himself, _because you’re my soulmate and no matter how close we get I can never have you._

“Yeah.” Babe said instead, when Gene noticed his hand.

“Whoa, hey, how’d you do that?” Gene frowned, seeming genuinely concerned. Babe laughed bitterly to himself. Gene was concerned for him, but he hurt him in worse ways than his hand.

“You did that,” Babe said, legitimately surprised that Gene hadn’t known that. Gene promised to fix it up and he began wrapping his hand. Babe tried not to shiver at Gene’s hands touching his, but he tried his hardest to relish the contact. Babe smiled to himself.

“Hey, Gene. You called me Babe.”

“I did? When?”

“Just now.”

“Babe,” Gene said slowly, and Babe’s heart warmed a little. “I guess I did.”

“Babe.” Heffron did an impression of Gene, trying to remember just how he’d said it.

“Heffron, watch the goddamn line.” Gene said with a smile on his face. On the one hand, Babe was ecstatic to be relating to his soulmate, for once. On the other hand, it reminded Babe of something he would never be able to truly have. Still, nightfall came, and Babe found himself inching closer and closer to Gene, until he was practically laying on top of him. Gene didn’t say anything, didn’t move away, just brought his arm up to wrap around Babe’s shoulders, resting his chin on the top of Babe’s head. Babe fell asleep to the sound of Gene’s heartbeat, wondering how on Earth he’d ever lived without this, or how on Earth he’d be able to live without it again.

***

**Foy: Day ??**

Ever since Guarnere and Toye had gotten hit, and Julian had been killed, Babe had found himself feeling increasingly alone. Babe was terrified of being alone, so he was infinitely glad when Gene let Babe follow him around like a lapdog. Gene would sit down for a meal, and Babe would sit next to him. They sat in silence more often than not, but it was a comfortable sort of silence that was sometimes the exact peace that Babe needed.

Babe followed Gene into his foxhole at night and soon they were default foxhole partners. When they dug in at outside of Foy, Babe managed to sequester himself into a foxhole with Gene again. Gene raised an eyebrow, but was kind enough not to make fun of him whenever Babe insisted they share a foxhole.

In the early hours of darkness, Babe found himself pressed up against Gene once more. Though this time it was Gene’s head who lay on his chest, and it was all Babe could do to try and slow his pulse enough that Gene wouldn’t think less of him. It was late, and Babe was tired, so what he said next was without thought.

“Gene, I’m real glad you’re here,” Babe whispered, almost hoping Gene was asleep and couldn’t hear him.

“Happy I’m in the foxhole or happy I’m in Europe?”

“Both. I just meant, if I have to be over here in this shit hole of Europe, I’m glad you’re here, too. That’s all.” Babe whispered, afraid to hear the words he was saying.

“Then I’m glad you’re here, too.” Gene said, like it was the simplest thing in the world. But Babe knew it wasn't the same. Babe was glad that his soulmate was here, that he wasn’t going to die without knowing who it was. Gene was glad that Babe was here the same way he was glad any other soldier was here. Babe wrapped his arm around Gene even tighter.

***

Babe found himself clinging to their little moments of domesticity. The way that Gene still asked if he was alright, even though his cough was mostly gone. The way Babe handed Gene coffee without a word, as if it was routine. The way Gene wiped the dirt off of Babe’s forehead like it was something he was just meant to do.

Gene started talking to Babe, finally, about real things. Gene told him about Bayou Chene and the way the mosquitoes bit constantly and how Gene didn’t think he’d miss it in a million years but now he did. Babe told Gene that he thought the cold Philly winters would have prepared him for Bastogne and Gene laughed. In the dark Gene whispered to him about the soldiers he couldn’t save, how he saw their faces at night.

Babe was falling into Gene, he knew. He knew it was risky, that it was incredibly stupid to let himself love a man who could never love him. But, God, Babe couldn’t find it in himself to care.

***

Babe sometimes didn't know how he _wasn't_ Gene's soulmate. They fit so perfectly around each other in the cold dampness of their foxholes, it couldn't be anything but fate. And Gene always seemed to know just what to say to Babe. Babe never felt like he knew what to say to Gene. Maybe that's why he was Unpaired.

Still, Babe found his breath hitching when Gene walked up behind him or reached across him for something. Babe found his heart racing more than what was probably appropriate when Gene spoke in his slow Cajun drawl. Everything seemed to stop when Gene looked at Babe from under his helmet, finally giving Babe the eye contact he was always craving. Babe had to stop himself from glancing at Gene's lips when that happened, worried he'd catch on to Babe's secret. A voice in the back of his head couldn't help but marvel at how Gene apparently did not feel the same way. It seemed to Babe that they were perfect.

***

**Haguenau: Day One**

Ever since Babe had been little he’d been awful at counting his blessings. A part of him knew that the quiet peace he’d found with Gene wasn’t going to last, but he wasn’t ready for it to end, either. They were stationed at Haguenau when Babe tried to follow Gene in order to bunk with him. They had enough cots for everyone, so Babe knew they wouldn’t be sharing, which saddened a small part of him, but he still wanted to be close to Gene if he could. When Babe went to put his stuff down on the bunk below the one Gene had claimed, he looked up to see a disgruntled Gene glaring at him. Babe froze.

“Heffron, outside.” Gene turned to lead him outside of the building. It was night, which meant they were pretty secluded outside the back wall of the building. The chances of another soldier seeing or hearing them was slim, which Babe knew Gene was relying on. Babe felt his stomach churn uncomfortably.

“Babe,” Gene softened a little. “You gotta stop followin’ me everywhere.”

“What?” Babe said, crestfallen.

“You can’t... I can’t- It-it needs to stop.”

“What needs to stop?”

“I can’t be near you, anymore,” Gene said, staring at his feet.

“You can’t be near me?” Babe asked, trying to stop his voice from breaking. Gene nodded in affirmation. “Well, Christ, Gene. I’m sorry for bothering you, but I thought you said you were glad that I’m here.” Babe couldn’t stop the anger from seeping into his voice. Gene visibly swallowed.

“That’s just it, Babe. I’m glad that you’re here. I like spending time with ya’.”

“Then, why-”

“Because I’m not supposed to!” Gene snapped. This was it, Babe thought. This was when Gene would finally tell him that Babe wasn’t his soulmate, that Gene had somebody else that he had to be spending all his time with, that nothing could ever happen between them. Gene sighed. “Babe, what happens when you get hurt. Huh? They tell medics in training that we’re not supposed to get too attached to the soldiers that we’re gonna have to treat. I can’t save you if I can’t focus because I’m too attached. So I just can’t be attached.”

“That’s bullshit, Gene. You isolate yourself all the goddamn time, don’t think we don’t notice. And in Bastogne, you were alone. And you were exhausted as Hell. You weren’t happy. So don’t tell me that I make things worse.” Gene crossed his arms in response, staring at his feet again.

“You don’t make things worse, Babe. But I can’t keep getting close to you. It’s dangerous,” Gene softened, looking up to meet Babe’s eyes. “This isn’t easy for me. It’s not. But it’s gotta happen, I’m sorry.” Babe just shook his head, remaining silent. He worried that if he said anything he wouldn’t be able to control the words that were threatening to spill out of his mouth. He shoved past Gene back into the barracks, snatching his stuff and moving to a different building. Babe didn’t even bother taking his boots off to sleep, putting his face into the pillow to dry his tears. Babe lie awake in the early hours of the morning, cursing God for giving him a soulmate that wasn’t his.

***

**Haguenau: Day ?**

Jackson died and there was nothing Gene could’ve done to stop it. Babe knew that. All of the soldiers in Easy knew that. But Babe took one look at Gene’s face and knew that he was blaming himself. There was no time after the fact for Babe to say anything to Gene, they were too busy organizing the prisoners and trying to settle in for the night.

Babe was lucky to see Gene at all that night. The Doc was far away from the barracks, probably to avoid having to look at any of the soldiers, and he was leaning against a wall, taking long drags from a cigarette.

“Doc?” Babe asked, with no response. He sighed. “Gene. There was nothing you could’ve done.” Babe promised.

“Bullshit,” Gene responded simply.

“You did all you could,” Babe insisted. “He got hit in the face by his own goddamn grenade. No one could’ve done any better.”

“He was just a kid,” Gene whispered. “Just a fucking kid.” And Babe didn’t know what to say to that. It was true, Jackson had just been a kid. Sometimes Babe thought the rest of them were kids, too. Or, they might’ve been, given the chance. Babe just stared at Gene, searching his face, he found only guilt and sadness, a sort of resigned exhaustion. Babe reached for Gene. He didn’t have to extend his arm very far before Gene was in his arms, holding tightly to his uniform, and face in his chest. Babe was sure Gene would be crying if he had any energy to. Babe brought a hand up to stroke Gene’s hair.

Babe said nothing as he and Gene stood together. No words could make what had happened better. He held Gene as tightly as he could, rocking his soulmate back and forth for what might’ve been the last time he’d be able to do so.

***

**Landsberg: Day One**

As the men drove into Germany, they began to joke again. The mood was lighter, the war was drawing to an end and they could taste victory. It didn’t take long before the jokes circled around to soulmates.

“I’m gonna talk to as many German broads as I can. Bet one of ‘em’s my soulmate.” Luz yelled above the engine of the car they were being driven in.

“Yeah, maybe one of the Kraut soldiers.” Liebgott contested.

“Luz would be one to fraternize with the enemy.” Webster agreed, inciting a chuckle.

“Yeah, yeah, the two of you are just jealous because the two of you got stuck with each other.” Luz sniped, and a hush fell over the van.

“Wait,” Perconte said, a smile creeping over his face. “No. No way.” He said in disbelief. Liebgott looked at Webster, who nodded.

“Yeah,” Liebgott said. “This fucker’s my goddamn soulmate. You can imagine my joy at finding that out.” That comment received a light punch from Webster, who was smiling despite himself.

“What,” Said Perconte.“And you just didn’t feel like enlightening the rest of us as to that fact?”

“You told Luz and not us? What the Hell?” Babe agreed.

“It was none of your goddamn business, Babe. Who’s your soulmate, anyway?” Liebgott said, effectively shifting the focus away from him and Web. Babe fought down a blush.

“Haven’t met ‘em yet.” Babe said simply.

“Well, c’mon, tell us your words,” Luz suggested, and Babe laughed awkwardly, gently refusing to share. He risked a glance at Gene, who was sitting on the end of the truck’s bench, not participating in the conversation. Babe could tell he was paying attention, though, because he wore a blank expression on his face. Whenever Gene wasn’t paying attention to what was going on around him, it was because he was thinking about something, and when he was thinking about something, his brow furrowed. Gene chose that moment to look back at Babe, offering him a smile. Babe swallowed, reaffirming his vow to himself to never, ever tell Gene the words that he had written on his forearm.

***  
**Landsberg: Day ?**

Nothing Babe had seen in his life or experienced during the war could’ve prepared him for the sight of the camp. The prisoners were starving, starving in a way Babe didn’t know people could starve. Their heads were shaved, numbers tattooed onto their arms. Babe could see marks on some of their arms or legs where it was clear Words had been mutilated and covered up, to dehumanize them further. Babe wanted to vomit as he walked through the camp, but he didn’t. He kept his face as flat as he could and he held the prisoners who walked up to him and hugged him as best he could.

Out of the corner of his eye Babe could sometimes see Gene giving a prisoner water, or trying to stop them from eating too fast. He could see Liebgott conversing with the some of the Jews, trying to understand just what had happened. He could see other soldiers crying, or sitting, looking lost. He could see Winters whispering instructions to soldiers, trying to handle a situation which none of them had been trained to handle.

Later, Babe sat down next to Gene, who was sitting silently, staring at nothing. Gene gave no physical indication that he recognized Babe, but he did speak.

“I don’t know how someone could do that to another person.” Gene said quietly. Babe didn’t respond, not knowing what to say. The two sat in companionable silence, no more tears able to be shed, no more smiles able to be shared, no more emotions to be felt, just emptiness. Emptiness, yes, but no longer isolation.

***

**Berchtesgaden: Day Twelve**

Gene began to let Babe follow him around again. Babe figured it was because the risk of living had gone down and Gene didn’t have to worry as much about keeping himself distant. So when Gene left to go scrounge some supplies from an abandoned German household, Babe followed.

It was just the two of them, which made a part of Babe a little giddy. The houses they went to looked like they’d been abandoned a few months, if the thin layer of dust was anything to go by. Babe picked up a bottle of whiskey that had been left behind, smiling at Gene, who just shook his head playfully. Babe set the bottle down and got to work tearing apart the kitchen while Gene went to examine the other rooms in the house.

Babe couldn’t help but imagine him and Gene living together in a house like this. Babe imagined waking up to Gene next to him in bed, feeling the warmth of his body like he had in Bastogne. Babe imagined cooking with Gene in the kitchen, exchanging gumbo and cheesesteak sandwiches. Babe could see himself getting home from a day of work to find Gene curled up on the couch with a book. Finally, Babe shook himself out of his daydreaming. It would do him no good to think about things that he couldn’t have.

But what could he have? Babe didn’t think he’d be able to part ways with Gene after the war. He knew he’d have to find some way to be near him. Gene had no idea that he was Babe’s soulmate, and Babe still refused to tell him. But he knew it would look kind of weird if he just followed Gene around with no explanation. Maybe he could wait a few months, a year, before getting a job in New Orleans, close to Bayou Chene. Then they’d see each other for sure. They could grab drinks and maybe Gene could take him fishing. Gene would go back home to his real soulmate and Babe could go back to the home he knew would be empty. But maybe it would be enough.

Babe was taken out of his musings rather violently when he suddenly tripped over a stool in the kitchen he hadn’t seen, and on the way down cut his arm on a knife that had been laying over the counter’s edge, abandoned weeks ago. The entire ordeal was incredibly loud, and Babe knew Gene had heard.

“Fuck,” Babe hissed, holding his forearm which was bleeding profusely.

“Babe?” Gene said, hurtling down the stairs that led into the kitchen. He stopped when he saw Babe’s arm. “Shit.” Gene knelt next to Babe, taking his arm gingerly.

“No, Gene, I’m fine.” Babe insisted, trying to take his arm away. He’d been cut right around his Words, and he knew Gene would see them if he treated his wound. He doubted Gene would even remember saying what he’d said, but Babe didn’t want to risk it.

“Bullshit, Babe, just let me see it,” Gene insisted, beginning to pull at Babe’s sleeve despite his resistance.

“Honest, Gene, I’m fine. It’s not that bad,” Babe began pushing Gene’s hands away.

“I’ll be the judge of that. Just let me look at it,” Gene said, continuing to struggle.

“No, Gene-”

“Babe!” Gene snapped and Babe went silent, letting his hands drop and his heart race. Gene looked at him, brow furrowed in confusion, before finally pulling Babe’s sleeve up. He tutted under his breath. Gene rubbed his thumb over Babe’s forearm to wipe away some of the blood and gauge the true extent of his injury, and he hesitated a little when he saw Babe’s Words, before looking away. Babe was unsure if he’d actually read them. “It doesn’t need stitches. I’ll just bandage it up.” Gene said, softer than before. He pulled out some materials from his bag and began to clean the cut. Babe just watched him the entire time, feeling his pulse in his ears. Gene began to bandage the cut, and Babe was reminded of their time in Bastogne. He swallowed. Gene stopped bandaging for a second, turning Babe’s arm slightly in order to read Babe’s Words. Babe held his breath. Gene continued bandaging before he spoke.

“Babe, your words… every time someone asks you if you know who your soulmate is, you say no. But… Babe. I’ve treated probably every man in Easy. Hell I don’t know if I know all their names, but I can tell you who’s been shot where and who got which disease, and who lost his boots and who has what issues. And I remember the first time I spoke to you you ‘ad just dropped some branch on ole Guarnere and you’d hurt your goddamn wrist.” Gene had finished bandaging his arm. He hadn’t been looking at Babe, but he suddenly lifted his head to make eye contact. “Babe, did I say those words to you? That is my goddamn handwriting on your arm. Did I say that to you? Am I your soulmate?” Babe stared for a moment, feeling tears begin to form before he nodded quickly, too afraid to speak. Gene wasn’t done, however.

“Goddamnit, Babe! Why didn’t you say anything?” Gene looked furious. Of all the possible reactions Babe had imagined Gene having, anger was certainly the worst. Babe had thought that by not telling Gene that he was his Unpaired soulmate, he could avoid rejection. But all he’d done was enrage Gene with his lies. 

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry, Gene. I just figured that since I’m not yours, you didn’t need to know that you were mine. I was afraid of what you’d say. I’m sorry.” Babe was trembling. Gene stared at him for a second, before he began to unbutton his shirt. Babe stared in confusion, but before he could get a question out, Gene was pulling his shirt to the side to reveal the Words on his shoulder. Word, really, just one, Medic! in large, scrawling handwriting which Babe would say was his if someone had shown it to him.

“Do you have any idea how many men I treat? There’s been probably two dozen men who’ve called for a medic and that’s the first thing they say to me. I’ve had no goddamn idea who my soulmate was because my Words were bein’ said by every goddamn soldier. But I remember every man I treat. When James Howlett got shot, you were there. Calling for a goddamn medic.” Gene was sobbing, buttoning his shirt again to cover up the Word that Babe had been staring at.

“Gene…”

"Were you ever gonna tell me?" Gene asked, voice shockingly quiet. Babe didn't respond, didn't want to tell Gene that, no, he had planned on taking that fact to his grave. Gene shook his head.

“I have been so terrified this entire fucking war because I had no idea who my soulmate was, but I knew they’d need a medic. Every soldier I couldn’t save, I worried that they’d been the one. But you were here. You were here the whole goddamn time.”

“Gene,” Babe said, sitting closer to him. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know- I didn’t think calling for a medic would count like that. I didn’t think about that at all. As soon as you said my Words, I thought that was it. And then you didn’t respond when I spoke back. I thought it wasn’t me. I thought I was Unpaired, Gene.” Babe whispered. Gene looked back at him, eyes wet with tears, but brow furrowed in an anger Babe had never seen before.

“Yeah well maybe you oughta be. You let me think my soulmate was dead. It’s the end of the war, no one’s calling for a medic anymore. I thought you were dead, or I was Unpaired, and you didn’t say shit to me. And you weren't gonna say anything to me, either,” Gene huffed, standing and storming out of the house, leaving Babe alone.

***

Babe moped for a few days after that. He avoided Gene, though that was unnecessary because Gene was avoiding him, too. Babe didn’t know how he’d managed to fuck this up so bad. First he thought he hadn’t had a soulmate at all, then as soon as he learned he had one, as soon as he got what he’d always wanted, it was gone. Because he’d lied to Gene and let him be alone and Gene now wanted nothing to do with him.

Then one night, after days of mourning a relationship he hadn’t had, Babe had a dream about some of the other Easy guys. Toye and Guarnere were in the dream, laughing and smiling. And when Babe woke up, he thought about what Guarnere would say to him if he was here. He’d probably call Babe a dumbass. Then he’d tell Babe to pull himself together and talk to his goddamn soulmate. Which is what Babe decided to do.

Babe, mustering more gumption than he ever had in his life, pulled Gene by his elbow away from the other soldiers and off to a fairly secluded patch of grass off the side of some makeshift barracks. Gene looked like he was about to say something, but Babe cut him off.

“Y’know Gene, it’s really not fair for you to be mad at me for not telling you. I called for a medic, I didn’t call for you. I didn’t know it counted. I am sorry, really I am, that you didn’t know and that that was scary, okay? But when you said my Words, and I didn’t say yours, I thought that I was Unpaired. And you know what? I was prepared to be. I was ready to live my life following yours because I knew I couldn’t live without you anymore. I wasn’t going to tell you because I was afraid you’d push me away. I shouldn’t have worried about that, though, because you push me away every chance you get! I am your goddamn soulmate, Eugene, like it or not. So you can’t keep me away,” Babe finished, breathing heavy. Gene looked into his eyes with a soft, warm look that Babe hadn’t seen before.

“Babe, I’m sorry. I got upset at you when I shouldn’t have. It’s just, seeing the words I’d said to you on your arm, it brought back all the fear and worry, and I took it out on you. Truth is, Babe, I’m glad it’s you. Back in Bastogne, I had no idea who my soulmate was, but I wanted it to be you. When I heard you say you hadn’t met your soulmate, it broke my heart, because it meant that I wasn’t yours. But I wanted to be. I’m glad we’re soulmates, Babe. And you’re right, I’ve been pushing you away, but, God, I’m ready to let you in.” Gene finished and that was all the permission Babe needed to rush forward, lips meeting Gene’s. Their kiss was hungry, raw, all smacking teeth and twisted lips. Babe placed his hand around Gene’s neck, fingers winding in his hair and Gene wrapped a hand around Babe’s waist, pulling him closer. When they finally pulled apart, Babe was breathing hard and Gene’s cheeks were flushed. Babe smiled, and Gene smiled too, leaning in to place another light kiss on his lips.

***

They had to negotiate on where to live when they got back from the war. Gene loved the bayou, but Babe was a city boy at heart. They decided to live in the heart of New Orleans. It was crowded enough that Babe could almost believe he was back in Philly, but it was warm enough and close enough to the bayou that Gene felt at home.

They got a small house, painted it white, and even got a picket fence to match. Babe brought a gaudy, gold trim couch into their living room one day, and Gene just shook his head before agreeing to let Babe keep it. Babe was pleased to see Gene curled up on it with a book the very next day.

They ate gumbo on Tuesdays and cheesesteak on Thursdays. Babe hogged the blankets at night but Gene just wrapped himself around Babe to keep warm. There were some mornings Babe woke up and he forgot where he was, forgot he was home. There were some mornings where Babe saw Gene in bed and remembered exactly how he’d found his soulmate and he thanked God for that gift.

**Author's Note:**

> We are a small fandom, but a good one. Comments and kudos are GREATLY appreciated (especially comments), thank you for reading!


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